Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes on Congotronics

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tUWNATfVE TAKES ON CONOOTitONIOS*

For Licensing Contact:

Ocean Park Music Group

1119 Colorado Avenue , Suite #21
Santa Monica , CA 90401
Phone: (310) 576-7424

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The series has spawned a fervent followins in the world of alternative

rock arid electronic music... and now that world answers back in musical form. These 26
mAW&mtW*f Hkc I from a Mid mix of artists include covers, reworks and orisinal
compositions inspired by the electrifyi^BHmWtea^| sounds of CONGOTRONICS.

-l*-DEbkH ucJUr: vs KASAI ALLSTARS
-^ANIMAL COLLECTIVE vs KASAI ALLSTARS

3. IDREW BIR vs KONONO N°1 & SOBANZA MIMANISA

4. TUSSLE vs KONONO N°1
5%TfeNN KOTCHE vs KONONO N°1

6. LONELY DRIFTER KAREN vs KASAI ALLSTARS

7. JHEREK BISCHOFF vs KONONO N°1

8. WOO M vs KASAI ALLSTARS

9. JUANA MOLINA vs KASAI ALLSTARS

10. MARK ERNESTUS vs KONONO N°1
ll^KELEIPNS^ SOBANZA MIMANISA

12J8B vs KASAI ALLSTARS
13. vs KASAI ALLSTARS

Travel Broadens The Mind
Quick As White
Ohnono/Ki wembo
Soft Crush
Traducteur de transmission
Hunting On The Moon
Kule Kule (Orchestral Version)
Enter The Chief
Hoy supe que viajas
Masikulu Dub
Ki wembo/Unstuck
Nyeka Nyeka
Land Dispute

Mukuba Special
Likembes
NO.K
Conjugal Mirage
Two Labors
Mulu(me)
Kuletronics
Rubaczech
Nombre l!
Wumbanzanga
The Incident At Mbuji-Mayi
Konono Wa Wa Wa
Makembe

1. SHACKLETON vs KASAI ALLSTARS

2. H0QUETS vs KONONO N°1

3. MTCACHU & THE SHAPES vs KONONO N°1
m. MEGAFAUN vs KISANZI KONGO

5. AU vs MASANKA SANKAYI
6 LAvsBASOKIN

7. BEAR BONES, LAY LOW vs KONONO N°1

8. BURNT FRIEDMAN vs KONONO N°1

9. ONEIDA vs KONONO N°1

10. OPTIMO vs KONONO N°1

11. BASS CLEF vs KASAI ALLSTARS

12. EY3 vs KONONO N°1

13 SYLVAIN CHAUVEAU vs KONONO N°1

cram 169

(p) & (c) 2010 Crammed Discs
www.crammed.be

TRADI-MODS VS ROCKERS

ALTERNATIVE TAKES ON CONCOTRONICS

TRADI-MODS

The unique «tradi-modern» music of Konono N°l, Kasai ALlstars and other Congolese
bands who play electrified traditional music has had a deep impact on numerous artists
from the indie rock and electronic music scenes, who have reacted with unbridled
enthusiasm to the releases in Crammed's Congotronics series.

ROCKERS

We've asked 26 artists to come up with their own personal take on Congotronics.
Most of the contributions blur the boundaries between reinventions and covers,
reworks and homages. Much like its source material, this music is by turns beautifully
serene, invigoratingly noisy or aimed squarely at open-minded dancefloors... yet always
intriguing and in some way revelatory: this album pretends to be nothing other than
a joyful homage to what has become a true phenomenon of contemporary music
- but listen closely, and maybe some unlikely musical bloodlines can be traced...

THE CONOOTRONICS BANDS:

The music of KONONO N°1 mad^ a strons impression in Europe, America and Japan when the
«Con3otronics» album was released by Crammed in 2004. The band was founded four decades earlier by
Mawansu Minsiedi who, after movins from the Bacongo region to the Congolese capital Kinshasa, proceeded
to electrify his likembe (the traditional instrument sometimes called «sanza» or «thumb piano», consisting of
metal rods attached to a resonator), using hand-made microphones built from magnets salvaged from old car
parts. Konono N°l's sensational, relentless distortion-fuelled sound is generated by three electric likembes
(bass, medium and treble), and a rhythm section which uses traditional as well as makeshift percussion made
from junkyard scrap. The band's more recent releases are the Grammy-nominated «Live At Couleur Cafe»
album, and their second album proper, «Assume Crash Position)).

KASAI ALLSTARS' first full-length album was the awe-inspiring «ln The 7th Moon, The Chief
Turned Into A Swimming Fish And Ate The Head Of His Enemy By Magic» (2008). Kasai Allstars is a collective
revolving around 25 musicians all based in Kinshasa, DR Congo, but originating from five different ethnic groups
from the Kasai province, each with their own language and musical tradition, which were thought to be
incompatible until these musicians decide to put their resources together and form this «supergroup». They
use a spectacular mixture of traditional acoustic instruments, electric guitars, distortion-laden thumb pianos
and soulful vocals, and draw their songs from festive and ritual music played in the bush before being banned
by the Europeans, who considered the highly erotic dances and the pagan trance ceremonies as «satanic».
Kasai Allstars' powerful, sophisticated and wild sound was praised by Western audiences and media, and
turned out to be a source of inspiration for many indie and electronic bands.

Entitled «Buzz'n'Rumble From The Urb'n'Jungle», the seeond album in the Consotronics

series featured no less than six «tradi-modern» bands, all consisting of musicians who left the bush to settle in
the capital and who, in order to keep fulfilling their social role and make themselves heard by the ancestors
(and, more concretely, by their fellow citizens) despite the high level of urban noise, have had to resort to
do-it-yourself amplification of their instruments, resulting in a radical mutation of their sound. Aside from
Kasai Allstars and Bolia We Ndenge, this album introduced the following bands:

KISANZI KONGO and SOBANZA MIMANISA are two tradi-modern bands who play

likembe-driven music. They both originate from the Bacongo'province, are based in Kinshasa, and appeared on
the Congotronics 2 album «Buzz'n'Rumble From The Urb'njungle».

MASANKA SANKAYI form one of the two main components of the Kafiai Allsiar^cpifective.
They are fronted by a pair of dancers, singers and story-tellers called MbuyambS-Ngunyi aneLKaboqgoJ^ho
have worked as a team ever since the '70s. Mbuyamba uses an impressive electrified bass likembe ofh,i£?own
invention, a large, luge-like square box with two rows of huge metal rods on each side,
between which he sits.

BASOKIN (the Basongye from Kinshasa), the other main component of Kasai Allstars, hail from the
Songye region, at the Eastern fringe of Kasai. The band's music revolves around intricate lines played by two
guitarists, an array of percussion and several vocalists, fronted by Mputu Ebondo 'Mi Amor', who is also a
well-known spokesman for the Songye and Kasaian community.

DISCI

1. DEERHOOF vs

by Deerhoof

Travel Broadens The

Performed, arranged af
Satomi Matsuzaki: vocal/sampler
Ed Rodrisuez vocal/bass
Gres Saunier vocal/drums
John Dieterich: vocal/3uitar
Written by Hubert Mputu Ebondo

Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A reinterpretation of «Wa Muluendu» by Kasai Allstars (2),

We knew right off the bat that «Wa Muiuendu» was the one we wanted to try. At the same time we knew
we couldn't blow it in the rhythm department because the rhythm sounded so distinctive on this song. We
downloaded this program called «The Amazing Slow Downer» and slowed the song way down to try and
fgure out the finer points. We arranged it with the high thumb pianos on the guitar and samplef the low
thumb pianos on the bass, the bottle on the hihat and the hand drums on kick and snare, and played it over
and over with the record. We were having so much fun, feeling like it was coming together we were nailing
this thing down. Finally we recorded ourselves playing it on our own, and when we listened back we realized
we didn't get it at all...

- Deerhoof (Oakland)

2. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE vs KASAI ALLSTARS
Quick As White (5:20)

<535/ l

Performed, produced and mixed by Animal Collective

Written by Hubert Mputu Ebondo

Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential

A reinterpretation of «Quick As White» by Kasai Allstars (3), containins new performances and audio excerpts from the ordinal.

We're psyched! It's really an honor for us to be able to work and contribute
to music that is so special and inspiring to us.

- Avey Tare, Animal Collective (Brooklyn)

3. ANDREW BIRD vs KONONO N°1 & SOBANZA MIMANISA

Ohnono/KIwembo (5:59)

Performed 8. produced by Andrew Bird
Recorded and mixed by Neil Strauch @ Ensine Studios, Chicaso, IL
Written by Andrew Bird/Minsiedi Mawansu/ Frangois Nsyola Mfumu Kamdo
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential/Wesawam Music Co.
A reinterpretation of «Kule Kule» by Konono N°l (1) and «Kiwembo» by Sobanza Mimanisa (2),
consistins solely of new performances and arransements.

\-4 years ago and / responded right away to this utterly functional poly-
t style of north-Mississippi blues where there are no linear «check
fsfjust these iWestructible interlocking riffs. And of course the distortion. / had been making these
ps for some time and started using a thing called the ((blister agent» - a simple hand wired device
s remarkably like a distorted mbira. / got to play with Konono this summer, it was awesome to be
onstage with them and feel their music resonate in my bones.

- Andrew Bird (Chicaso)

4. TUSSLE vs KONONO N°1
Soft Crush (5.52)

Performed and produced by Tussle
Mixed by El Bret Treble

Written by Mingiedi Mawangu/Nathan Burazer/Tomo Yasuda/Kevin Woodruff '

Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential/ Smalltown Supersoui
A piece based on «Paradiso» by Konono N°1 (1).

Includes new performances as well as audio excerpts from the original.

Congotronics. An attitude to music that we feelciose to. Past
give it everything. We had written this song track 2 days before khowing about thte tribute project, i
happy we were able to fnish it up white on th'froad. 7/

- Tussle (Sah Francisco)

5. GLENN KOTCHE vs KONONO N°1
Traducteur de transmission (4:31)

Performed & produced by Glenn Kotche.
Recorded by Glenn Kotche at Adventure Land, Chicago, IL
Mixed by Patrick Burns and Glenn Kotche at Trick Industries, Chicago, IL
Written by Mingiedi Mawangu
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A piece inspired by «Kule Kule» by Konono N°1 (1).
performances and arrangements, as well as an audio excerpt of the original.

This rework ii a pidce composed using one parMildf likembe melody heard on the original recording as source
material. I ufe a vpst array of metallic percussion and wild sound in an attempt to transmit the listener from
a hushed intimate environment to a murky, noisy and mysterious place and back again.

- Glenn Kotche (Chicaso)

l C

-f] l ' "f

6. LONELY DRIFTER KAREN vs KASAI ALLSTARS
Hunting On The Moon (2:51)

Guitars, synths, percussion and arrangements by Marc Melia Sobrevias
Vocals, additional 8. modified lyrics by Tanja Frinta
Recorded at Q-O2 (and at home), Brussels

Written by Hubert Mputu Ebondo/Tanja Frinta/Marc Melia Sobrevias
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A song based on «Beyond The 7th Moon» by Kasai Allstars (3).

Includes new performances, lyrics and arrangements, as well as audio excerpts from the originaL

We loved the name of the Kasai Allstars album «ln the 7th Moon the Chief Turned into a Swimming Fish
and Ate the Head of His Enemy by Magic», so we tried to build something around that story using the track
« Beyond The 7th Moon» both musically and literally as a source of inspiration, and getting wild on it! We
looped some parts of the original recordings, pitched, detuned and made some changes to the tempo and
added our own melodies with guitars, synths, percussion and vocals, it's been a completely new experience
for us to work on something so trance-like: instead of following the original verse/chorus pattern that we
are rather used to, the structure falls apart in the middle of the song, denoting the hunt of the chief trying
to catch his enemy.

- Lonely Drifter Karen (Vien na/Mallorca/ Verona/Brussels)

7. JHEREK BISCHOFF vs KONONO N°1
Kule Kule (Orchestral Version) (3:22)

Produced and arransed by Jherek Bischoff

Performed by Paris Hurley (violins), Brianna Atwell (violas), Jherek Bischoff (cello, bass), Beth Fleenor (bass clarinet), Samantha Boshnack (trumpets),
Fred Hawkinson (trombones).

Written by Minsiedi Mawansu

An orchestral interpretation of «Kule Kule» by Konono N°l (1), consistins solely of new performances and arransements.

I was introduced to Konono's music many years ago and have found it extremely inspiring. / was exposed to
their music at a time when I was building a lot of instruments and looking for new ways to make sound. At
that time I was obsessed with a lot of music from Africa , but was also just starting to check out European
classical music. When beginning work on this track I remembered this really strange record / came across at
that time called «Lambarena: Bach to Africa». The record was basically classical musicians playing Bach's
Saint Johns Passion and several Gabonese ensembles playing their own music and then they merged them
together. The result in my opinion was only interesting in a few brief moments, but those moments have stuck
in my mind. What / found interesting was not the two «opposite» styles being played together but when the
classical musicians would play little moments of the Gabonese music and when the Gabonese musicians would
play moments of Bach. When asked to be a part of this compilation I immediately knew that / wanted to do
this with orchestral instruments. Most of my version of this track is transcribed note for note but arranged
for orchestra instruments. I was interested in seeing specif cally what it would sound like to hear Konono
through this completely different lens. It was a bit strange because the nature of their instruments creates a
lot ofmicrotonal notes, but I decided to lock it in to the standard western tuning.

I have fgured out a super fun way to record all of the orchestral music I have been creating lately. / luckily
have many talented friends here in Seattle that can play every instrument imaginable. / contact the needed
players and hop on my bike and ride to each of their houses. I record with 1 microphone and my laptop, so
travelling by bike is easy. It is so wonderful to be able to record each musician in their own environments, and
it is really nice for me to be out in the world instead of some dark studio. So each instrument was recorded
in each musicians living room. During the recording we ate fajitas, caught moths, stared at a giant cork tree,
talked a lot about << 'Jurassic Park» and I was loaned a cello!

-Jherek Bischoff (Seattle)

8. WOOM vs KASAI ALLSTARS
Enter The Chief (3:10)

Produced and mixed by Woom
Written by Hubert Mputu Ebondo
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
;ion of «Koyile Koyile» by Kasai Allstars (2), containing audio excerpts from the original.

9.JUANAMOLII

Hoy supe que viajas (5:02)

f arm qndjoyful sound. We love their home-electrifed instruments, and it was
Y fun pulling sounds and beats from such an ecstatic performance.

-WOOM (Los Angeles)

s KASAI ALLSTARS

Performed & produced by Juana Molina
Pre-mastered by Eduardo Bergallo at Puro Mastering
Written by Hubert Mputu Ebondo/Juana Molina
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A song based on «Wa Muluendu» by Kasai Allstars (2).

Includes new performances, lyrics and arrangements as well as audio excerpl

Several years ago, a friend sent me a link to a video thdtdrdv^ me crazy, f felt/ th^sahne way tdid \frhep,—
sometime during the '90s, I decided Western music was o vek ancrelectronica hachdr rived tcjf saveos all... The
video was by Konono N°l: the sound, the groove, the buzzing, noises, their dancing, tk^irqnce, everything...
what a joy! It brought me back to that time when, as a young teenager I was listerf^ta^adio FranceancTpll )
of a sudden became hypnotised by a new sound: lullabies from fb world I didn't^know This was Pygrhy mtjr$id>(
and I felt immediately connected to it, as if it had al way^p^Ljnjine,^sleeping Asifsome hidden links hqd'been-
laying dormant in my genes for generations, until they were a waken&jjby these sounds. Listening to jKohanof
and the other Congotronics band brought back those feelingsyagainj j A J "

For this project, / chose to work on a track by Kasai Allstars.' Iset oyt tpwfije b

of mine kind of imposed itself, as it seemed to work really well withindhismeswoontext. ^ f -J “ -V

-Juana Molina (Buenos Aires)

jJsr 7 ft

10. MARK ERNESTUS vs KONONO N°1
Masikulu Dub (7:55)

Produced and mixed by Mark Ernestus
Additional percussion by Burnt Friedman
Written by Mingiedi Mawangu
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A reinterpretation of «Masikulu» by Konono N°l (1), containing audio excerpts from the original.

Just listen.

- Mark Ernestus (Berlin)

T|\ \i ..
d 1 ^

11. SKELETONS vs SOBANZA MIMANISA
Kiwembo/Unstuck (7:o6)

Performed, arranged & produced by Skeletons

Recorded at St Cecilia's Center for the Arts, Brooklyn, NY.

Matthew Mehlan - guitar, percussion; Jason McMahon - guitar, percussion;

Jonathan Leland - electronic drumkit, percussion; Michael Gallope - 7

farfisa, percussion; synthesizer, Peter Vogl - bass, percussion; Elliot \H\

Bergman - electric kalimba. j' & j

Written by Francois Ngyola Mfumu Kamdo
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential j J
A reinterpretation of «Kiwembo» by Sobanza Mimanisa (2), consiSting solely bf n

- r 7/ ^-r-

/ sometimes set a bit of this « futility about mush) feeling bubbling up my body., it says «There is nothing new

enough , there is nothing honest enough , there is nothing tough enough , nothing funky enough, nothing deals with
the past AND is futuristic ENOUGH » and I close my mind and listen with the most unfortunate of critical
ears. The time I heard the initial Congotronics disc was one of those times (which I'm so happy keep happening
and hope will continue) when I'm COMPLETELY PROVEN WRONG and slapped back into a place where I
remember why I love music.

- Matt Mehlan, Skeletons (Brooklyn)

12. JOLIE HOLLAND a JOEL HAMILTON vs KASAI ALLSTARS
Nyeka Nyeka (4:58)

Produced, recorded and mixed by Joel Hamilton, Jolie Holland and
Grey Gersten.

Jolie Holland played ajecusco box fiddle. Grey Gersten recorded the
insects.

Written by Hubert Mputu Ebondo

Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential

A reinterpretation of «Koyile Koyile/Nyeka Nyeka» by Kasai Allstars (2), including new performances and audio excerpts from the original.

/ was thrilled to get another chance to work with acclaimed producer Joel Hamilton, reworking this Kasai
Allstars track. Grey Gersten is one of the best guitarists I've ever worked with, as well as being an experimental
musician and film-maker. Grey spent a lot of time in Jamaica as a child, and has a deep feeling for the first
generation of dub. Grey and I recorded insects singing in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. I played myjecusco box
pddle, in a single take, along with the Kasai Allstars song, and we mixed these three strands together.

-Jolie Holland (New York)

13. AKSAK MABOUL vs KASAI ALLSTARS
Land Dispute (4:55)

;ormed, arranged 8. produced by Marc Hollander, Clement Marion & Faustine Hollander

Written by Hubert Mputu Ebondo
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A reinterpretation of Kasai Allstars' «Kabuangoyi» (2), containing new performances and arrangements,
, as well as audio excerpts from the original.

The curator of this project was trying to convincerme*«you've been closely involved with these Congotronics
releases, and you did some OK music of your own, quite a while ago. Isn't this the opportunity to come

out of retirement?)). Alright, I said. I dug out myolcf Eorpsa and TR-808 and, as my original musical partner

Vincent Kenis

onics albums) was busy working on new recordings in the Congo,
I enrolled two talented kids from the neighbourhood to help me create this tribute to one of my all-time

favourite singers, Kasai Allstars' Muambuyi.
- Marc Hollander, Aksak Maboul (Brussels)

DISC 2

1. SHACKLETON vs KASAI ALLSTARS
Mukuba Special (10:37)

Produced and mixed by Sam Shackleton
Written by Hubert Mputu Ebondo
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A reinterpretation of «Mukuba» by Kasai Allstars (3), containing audio excerpts from the original.

/ chose Kasai because I really liked the album and was especially into the track that I worked with. I liked
the relentless chanting at the end. I wanted to use that myself. I love Konono as well, but I thought the Kasai
track had more diverse elements, and also / thought that Konono had done a version of percussive techno
better than I could do it and so went for Kasai instead. I saw Konono a few years ago and was blown away,
but somehow I wasn't so up for hearing the Kasai record at first. Supergroups can often be less than the sum
of their parts. Then my friend (Ralph - Bass Clef) told me how good it was and so I bought it and loved it.
I hope that the guys can appreciate my remix as I am very pleased with it. I suppose it might sound a bit
strange to them, but I really hoped to keep with the spirit of the original.

- Shackleton (London/Berlin)

2. HOQUETS vs KONONO N°1

Likembes (2:33)

Performed by McCloud Zicmuse, Frangois Schulz
Produced by Hoquets, Frederic Alstadt 8, Aymer
Written by McCloud Zicmuse, Frangois Schulz &
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Coni
A song inspired by «Makembe» - Konono N°l (4), cor

Hoquets formed shortly after a trip we all took together to t
Cabaret Sauvage in Paris. Who needs guitars and drums f We builc h iU$
materials: wooden planks, old strings k tin cans make the core soync 1 1 {roi
of a remix or strict cover of the song \<Makembe» from f (Assume urc Si 1 Po.
Konono N°1 by celebrating the energy\ and dancing excitement they 'nerateji
- Hoquets (Brussels) <4$/^ 1 Jj VLfWv /v^

:ralJohn Ste

performance!

Congotroni<p festival c
Instruments oyt of dec^perd,

'h all our songs spring In >tead
>n», «Likembes» pays hqr
« They play Likemb

3. MICACHU a THE SHAPES vs KONONO N°1
NO.K(4:i6)

v

Produced and mixed by M.AT.H.E.S.

Written by Mingiedi Mawangu

Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential

A reinterpretation of «Masikulu» by Konono N°1 (1), containing audio excerpts from the

/ think this band are completely unique: old and young members, sociqlty strong messages, the principles of
hocketing and continuing patterns and melody... it is dance music in all forms, which Is perhaps partly why it
translates well globally. For me it's the sound, contacts mics, self-constructed sound systems, distortion, live
recordings (as opposed to dubs) with LIFE going on in the background, unbelievably effortless musicianship and
an honest and practical approach. Always sounds fresh.

- Micachu (London)

4. MEGAFAUN vs KISANZI KONGO
Conjugal Mirage (5:54)

Performed, arranged and produced by Megafaun
Written by Dinduelo Nsatu Gerard
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A piece based on «Soif Conjugale» by Kisanzi Congo (2).

Includes new performances and arrangements as well as audio excerpts from the original.

At a time when I first started exploring the possibilities of using electronics with percussion, the Congotronics
records came along. Up until then, I had been looking toward improvised music exclusively to inform my own
explorations in this field. Those records gave me a well-needed example of how one could create with a
textural focus while still working within a familiar and more traditional context. The Kisanzi Kongo track
"Soif Conjugate" in particular inspired me from the beginning. I was instantly drawn to the sound of the bass
likembe parts, also enthralled with the tiny variations within the repetitive part. There was no question which
track to choose when this project came up. I am still not sure what that instrument is, or what it looks like, or
how it is played, which is the best way to describe the true beauty I find in the Congotronics records.

-Joe Westerlund, Mesafaun (North Carolina)

5. AU vs MASANKA SANKAYI
Two Labors (5.06)

Produced by AU

Performed by Luke Wyland (keyboards, percussion, vox) and Dana Valatka (percussion)

Written by Luke Wyland

Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential/Sibilant Music (ASCAP)

A sons inspired by Masanka Sankayi's «Le Laboureur» (2), consistins solely of new performances.

The rhythmic flexibility of this music has always been a big inspiration for me, and is something I've connected
to strongly in my own playing. There's this ingenious playfulness rooted in such mastery of their instruments
that allots for some of the most unique and unconscious phrasing in music - inverting simple patterns round
and round with these uncanny pauses and accents. It's all so seemingly complicated the closer you analyze it,
and yet from afar is just so enjoyable and universal.

- Luke Wyland, AU (Portland)

Kc?

6. ALLA vs BASOKIN
Mulu(me) (4.24)

Performed by Jorse Ledezma, Lupe Martinez & Ansel Ledezma
Produced by Jorse Ledezma
Written by Hubert Mputu Ebondo/Ledezma/Martinez/Ledezma
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A sons inspired by Basokin's «Mulume» (2), containins new performances, lyrics and arransements as well as audio excerpts from the orisinal.

Congotronics is to me as punk rock as you can get ... minimal, pure, fierce, loud and distorted. There is no
pretense to it at all, they strip away everything and just give you glorious energy.

-Jorge Ledezma, Alla (Chicago)

7. BEAR BONES, LAY LOW vs KONONO N°1
Kuletronics (7.56)

Performed and produced by Ernesto Gonzales at Casa los Gochillesos
Written by Minsiedi Mawansu
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
Konono N°l (1), containins new performances and audio excerpts from the orisinal.

ilways loved about Konono N°1 is hands down that relentless groove! When I first heard the
record it was like a total mind trip: it was dirty, fierce and you could bang your head to it from start to finish!
I especially dig whenever that bass likembe kicks in, that's HEAVY. Their music is just unstoppable and true.

- Ernesto Gonzales, Bear Bones, Lay Low (Venezuela/Belgium)

8. BURNT FRIEDMAN vs KONONO N°1
Rubaczech (5:22)

Produced and mixed by Burnt Friedman
Written by Minsiedi Mawansu

Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential

A reinterpretation of «Masikulu» by Konono N°l (1), containins audio excerpts from the orisinal.

I0J

&

There is a meaning behind the use of particular thumb pianos, amps, speakers and drums in Konono's music. If
you intend to create your own music, you'd better start building your own instrument: that way, there might
be a better chance to avoid traces of Coca-Cola in your work.

- Burnt Friedman (Berlin)

9. ONEIDA vs KONONO N°1
Nombre l! (4:11)

Produced and mixed by Oneida at the Ocropolis
A Better Brothers Production
Written by Mensa Waku

Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A reinterpretation of «Guiyome/Konono Wa Wa Wa» by Konono

Konono No 1 is a unique group of individuals and
- Kid Millions, Oneida (Brooklyn)

10. OPTIMO vs KONONO N°1
Wumbanzanga (5:55)

AJD Twitch Optimo mix
Written by Pauline Mbuka Nsiala
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A reinterpretation of «Wumbanzan3a» by Konono N°l (4), containins audio excerpts from the orisinal

evfork this. I have been a fan for a long long time and have followed them since
Europe. I decided to take the song in a different direction, away from the dis-
irejdmed for. I tried to create something that in my imagination would sound like
ectronic dance music made in Africa on very rudimentary equipment, with a very lo-fi feel.

' -JD Twitch, Optimo (Glassow)

watching the videos on «Congotronics 2», I suddenly felt that / knew nothing about live performance, and
that I badly needed to get a dance troupe... it was a great privilege to work on the Kasai track, I spent hours
just listening to the stems over and over before I could even start, the recordings were so hypnotic, even
reduced down to the basic elements. / can't wait to see what Crammed will put out next.

- Bass Clef (London)

12. EY3 vs KONONO N°1
Konono Wa Wa Wa (6:20)

Produced and mixed by EY3
Written by Minsiedi Mawangu

Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential

A reinterpretation of «Konono Wa Wa Wa» by Konono N°l (4), containing audio excerpts from'the original.

/ feel there's the projection of severe reality in Konono's eye \ which I cannot even imagine. When the tikerhbe l_
intersects their glance \ it reaches the very deep sounds as a lined thing, not entertainment. It seems to reach
the skull in soil.

-EY3 (Japan)

3. SYLVAIN CHAUVEAU vs KONONO N°1

Makembe (1:53)

Performed and produced by Sylvain Chauveau
Written by Mingiedi Mawangu
Published by Les Editions de la Bascule/Strictly Confidential
A piece based on «Makembe» by Konono N°1 (4).
_ includes new performances as well as an audio excerpt from the original.

Konono N°1 and British free improv band AMM: one couldn't find more different aesthetics. Yet both groups
started in the sixties, both have an open line-up that often changes from show to show, and both gained early
recognition before being discovered by an international audience in the past decade. Could there be a secret

passage between Congotronics and experimental music?

- Sylvain Chauveau (Bayonne/Brussels)

Source material taken from/inspired by the followins recordings

in the CONGOTRONICS series:

(1) KONONO N°l: Congotronics

(2) CONGOTRONICS 2: Buzz'n'Rumble From The Urb'n'Jungle (featuring six different bands from Kinshasa:

Sobanza Mimanisa, Kisanzi Kongo, Basokin, Masanka Sankayi, Kasai Allstars & Konono N°l)

(3) KASAI ALLSTARS: in The 7th Moon, The Chief Turned into A Swimming Fish And Ate The Head of
His Enemy By Magic

(4) KONONO N°l: Assume Crash Position

CREDITS

Project curated by Marc Hollander, in collaboration with John Stevens

All the albums in the Congotronics series are recorded & produced by Vincent Kenis

& are out on Crammed Discs

Mastered by Alan Ward at Electric City.

Post-production by Frederic Alstadt at Angstroi

Art by McCloud Zicmuse
Art direction by Hanna Corjaczkowska

Warm thanks to all the participants, and to everyone who contributed to making Tradi-Mods vs Rockers
happen: Toby Donnelly, Benjamin Levin, Phil Waldorf, Justin Becker & Andrea Troolin, Junko Futagawa, Laurence
Bell & Domino Records, Ba Da Bing, Anti, Hometapes 8Jagjaguwar. Very special thanks to Jan Lankisch.

for more information please write to: crammed@crammed.be
or visit: www.crammed.be

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